Marmozets annihilate the weight of expectation with a flawless comeback statement at their first gig in seven years.
From Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club to the Trades Club in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire has an enviable amount of iconic independent venues. Joining them in that league is The Parish, the nucleus of Huddersfield’s alt. community that boasts a snug 150-capacity sweatbox upstairs. It’s a room that’s been chosen for a historic purpose.
Tonight, Marmozets are back onstage for the first time since December 9, 2018. The quartet recently sliced open their seven-year hiatus with rampant comeback single A Kiss From A Mother, spilling the beans in a world-exclusive interview with K!. Just 21 miles from their Bingley hometown, the time has come to remind the world why Muse, You Me At Six and – come next summer – Biffy Clyro have all wanted to play with them, and why even Robbie Williams has been caught in their excitement.
This all-West Yorkshire affair begins with Keighley quartet goo, whose sunny yet grungey rock evokes memories of Foo Fighters and Dinosaur Pile-Up – keep an eye out for next week’s single Payday if you want proof. They have a part-time synth/cowbell player. Even their meatiest riffs feel happy-go-lucky. Perhaps the Spotify search bar is the only thing holding back their growth, jokes lead vocalist Tanisha Badman: “If you just type ‘goo’ you’ll get Goo Goo Dolls and Good Charlotte…”
When Marmozets launch into A Kiss From A Mother, the mastery with which they command the stage should not be taken lightly. Downsizing from two guitarists to one, while Sam Macintyre has switched to bass, the band have perfected a snarling, loaded tone that stampedes through The Parish. A wide-eyed Becca Bottomley shrugs her shoulders. Not a shrug of arrogance, but one pumped with the fight of an animal that’s been caged for seven years.
Her vocal consistency is still obscene – particularly in the chorus of unreleased sucker-punch New York. Another newbie, Cut Back, is elevated by drummer brother Josh Macintyre's inspired backing vocals, donning an unbuttoned shirt-and-tie combination that’s soon drenched in sweat. You Want The Truth is frighteningly thunderous. This window into their new era is packed with the very same shock-factor that characterised those brilliant first two albums.
The choice to play eight songs from their 5/5-rated debut – compared to two from Knowing What You Know Now – is perhaps also telling of their upcoming direction. “I’m seeing so many new faces I haven’t seen before!” acknowledges Becca, enabling recent Marmozets converts to finally enjoy these classics. Captivate You is breathtaking and atmospheric, while the mechanical Is It Horrible and mosh-pit starter Move, Shake, Hide unlock another level of grit and fury.
“I can’t say that in the whole of Marmozets’ career, I’ve played in front of such a confident, beautiful crowd,” beams Becca, while Sam waves and blows kisses. However, instead of euphoria or gratitude, it is dominance that defines this Marmozets show. The standards have magnified. On that basis, it might be the best gig they’ve ever played. It means we leave The Parish tonight exactly how we departed London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town in 2018: with a loud warning shot that the future is theirs for the taking.
